On Wednesday, August 26 and Thursday, 27th, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) hosted three town hall meetings in cities where their representatives were not meeting the peoples’ needs to discuss health care.
People from surrounding areas came in huge numbers to each event. The events took place in Madison on August 26th with more than 1,900 in attendance, drew 300 to La Crosse and 1,200 to Wausau on August 27th. The keynote speaker also gained a lot of attention: ABC 20/20’s John Stossel!
At Wednesday’s AFP event in Madison, Vicki McKenna broadcast her live radio show from the Marriott West. She entertained people as they began lining up and the excitement could be felt by all in the minutes before the event began.
At 6:30 with a huge crowd ready and restless for the event to begin, Nancy Mistle, AFP head for Dane County, took the stage to welcome everyone and introduce Mark Block, Wisconsin State Director of AFP. Block introduced the National Director of State Operations of AFP: Alan Cobb.
After Stossel’s speech on health care and his two standing ovations, McKenna returned to the stage to introduce the panelists: Scott Klug, Former Congressman (R-2nd CD); Tim Nerenz, Executive Vice-President of the Oldenburg Group, Inc.; Steve Schwartzer, President of Heartland Benefits Group; and Dr. Pam Galloway, Founder of the Breast Center of Central Wisconsin.
Only a few people tried to disturb the event during the questions and answer time, but other audience members helped get the person back in line.
Many people came because they wanted to be heard, some came because they wanted information, a few came to see what was all said even if they disagreed with it.
U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin was even invited, but she was a no show.
Next we took the show on the road to La Crosse. On August 27th, doors opened at 10:30 for the La Crosse event, the smallest of the three still had lots of energy.
On stage, Linda Hansen, Senior Vice-President of the Wisconsin Prosperity Network, welcomed the crowd before Mark Block gave his speech.
The President of Americans for Prosperity, Tim Phillips, took the stage and gave a speech that got the crowd ready and excited for Stossel, who yet again received a standing ovation. Sue Jeffers, Radio personality from KTLK Minneapolis, moderated and introduced panelists: Don Weber, Chairman & CEO of Logistics Health, Inc.; Time Nerenz; State Senator Dan Lapanke (R-32nd); Dr. Gary Susag, Internist at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center; and Gerald Frye, President of Benefit Services Group, Inc.
Yet again an invitation was declined by the legislator from the area: Representative Ron Kind.
We had little time to get to the Wausau event, but we made it! This event was the most crowded venue. After all the chairs were taken, people stood on the sides and the back of the hall. The crowd was loud, excited, and anxious to begin. This was a vocal group, angry that they were being ignored by their representative, Dave Obey.
Obey was invited to attend the event, but declined.
Meg Ellefson, Tea Party Leader in Wausau, welcomed the group and introduced Block, then Tim Phillips.
Phillips again received a standing ovation, and the crowd responded to him and the excitement just kept growing. Stossel gave his inspiring speech to the people in Wausau, and then after his customary two standing ovations he handed the floor back Block to introduce the moderator Pat Snyder, radio personality WSAU Wausau.
After the crowd was warmed up, Synder introduced the panelists: John Torinus, President of Serigraph, Inc.; Tim Nerenz; Dr. Pam Galloway; Gerald Frye; and Dr. Fritz Riveron, a Surgeon.
The Wausau event had more protesters. In Madison people might have yelled a little and one person was escorted out of the building by police on scene.
In Wausau there were peaceful protesters outside of the pavilion, adding excitement.
Mark Block and Tim Phillips were both happy with the turnout, and the whole crew of AFP were proud and excited.
One woman said that Madison needed the event and that they needed to band together to show the people in DC that they are a force that will not be ignored.
The determination of the people present at these events was enough to remind us why America is a great nation.
